Diesel Generator Fuel Tank Sizing: How to Calculate Capacity

Professional Guide: How to Calculate Diesel Generator Fuel Tank Capacity

Correctly sizing the fuel tank for your diesel generator set is critical to ensure uninterrupted operation, especially for standby, prime, or continuous power applications. EMEAN POWER engineers have developed this professional, step-by-step calculation method to help you determine the exact tank capacity required for your specific runtime needs.

Key Parameters Required for Accurate Calculation

Before calculating, you must obtain the following four data points:

Three-Step Calculation Formula

Step 1: Calculate Hourly Fuel Consumption by Weight

Formula:
Fuel Volume per Hour (L/h) = Fuel Weight per Hour (g/h) ÷ Diesel Density (g/cm³) ÷ 1000

Step 3: Determine Required Tank Capacity

Formula:
235 × 182 = 42,770 g/h

Step 2 – Fuel Volume per Hour:
51.5 × 24 = 1,236 L

✅ Result: A minimum 1,236-liter fuel tank is required to operate this 182 kW diesel generator set continuously for 24 hours without refueling.

EMEAN POWER Professional Advisory

This calculation provides the theoretical minimum tank capacity. In practice, EMEAN POWER recommends adding a 10–15% safety margin to account for:

• Fuel return line heat expansion

• Sediment accumulation at tank bottom

• Emergency reserve for extended runtime

For custom fuel tank design, installation, or compliance with local regulations, contact EMEAN POWER's engineering team. We provide complete fuel system solutions tailored to your generator model and application.

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